Autopsy results show that the majority of 15 Afghan migrants killed last week off the Greek island of Chios when their dinghy collided a coast guard vessel died from head injuries and not drowning.

The February 3 collision, one of the deadliest migrant incidents in Greece in recent years, has been investigated by police. A coast guard vessel collided into a dinghy that was carrying 39 people and caused it to capsize.

The Coast Guard said that the boat was travelling without navigational lights and had ignored warnings for it to stop. The coast guard said that the dinghy suddenly changed direction and struck the patrol vessel. It said that the passengers fell into sea.

The official version of events is contradicted by the testimonies of five survivors. They claimed that the coastguard did not give any warning beforehand and that the dinghy didn't change its course. Divers found bodies in the boat.

The findings of the autopsy will likely focus investigators on the nature and force of "the impact".

One of the court documents that we saw on Wednesday stated, "Cause: severe?cranial injuries and brain injuries". Other documents cited chest injuries as well. One document said, "cranial and?brain injuries and subsequent drowning".

Photos taken by the Coast Guard after the collision revealed minor scratches on its vessel. Three coast guard crew and 24 migrants suffered injuries.

MOROCCAN RESTAINED FOR SMUGGLING CHARGES

According to court documents, the coastguard?had spotted and ordered one vessel to approach the ship before the incident. One of the witnesses testified that his family and he paid?20,000 Euros ($23,725) for a boat trip to Greece after spending two years in Turkey.

A 31-year old?Moroccan has been held in custody pending trial for charges such as migrant smuggling, and causing the fatal crash. He denies these accusations.

While the investigation is ongoing, the Coast Guard officials declined to comment on the incident.

Greece, which was at the forefront of Europe's immigration crisis in 2015-16 says that it respects international laws and its coast guard saved tens if not thousands of people.

The country has adopted stricter immigration policies since 2019, despite criticism from rights groups.

In 2023, hundreds of migrants drowned in a shipwreck after what witnesses claimed was an unsuccessful attempt by the Coast Guard to tow their boat. The case is being investigated by a naval court. ($1 = 0.84430 euros) (Written by Renee Maltezou, edited by Edward McAllister & Ros Russell).

(source: Reuters)